WASHINGTON — The communications director for U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has resigned amid the ongoing Justice Department investigation into the federal lawmaker, NBC News reports.
“The Office of Congressman Matt Gaetz and Luke Ball have agreed that it would be best to part ways,” Gaetz’s office wrote in a statement obtained by the Orlando Sentinel. “We thank him for his time in our office, and we wish him the best moving forward.”
According to the newspaper, Ball became Gaetz's communications director a little less than a year and a half ago after previously working as his press secretary.
Ball's LinkedIn page describes him as the founder of RightLife Media LLC, which offers video production and web design services. A graduate of Pensacola Christian College, Ball briefly served as deputy digital director on Gov. Ron DeSantis' gubernatorial campaign in 2018.
Meanwhile, federal investigators are continuing their probe of Gaetz, which the New York Times reports is looking into his potential involvement with women who may have been recruited for sex and given cash payments.
The Times says investigators believe indicted former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg met the women on websites that "connect people who go on dates in exchange for gifts, fine dining, travel and allowances," citing three people familiar with the matter. Greenberg then would introduce women to Gaetz, and he would have sex with them, the Times reported.
The Times says it received receipts from different cash payment apps that appear to show payments from both Greenberg and Gaetz to a woman and another payment from Greenberg to a second woman. The women reportedly told friends the payments were for sex, the Times said, citing people familiar with the conversations.
Earlier this week, the Times was the first to report the Justice Department was investigating whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her to travel with him.
Gaetz has denied all the accusations against him. And, as of Friday, he had not been charged with any crimes.
In an interview this week with Axios, Gaetz confirmed he has learned he is under federal investigation and fears criminal charges could eventually be filed against him. Still, he says the allegations are untrue.
"The allegations against me are as searing as they are false," Gaetz told Axios in a brief phone interview. "I believe that there are people at the Department of Justice who are trying to criminalize my sexual conduct, you know when I was a single guy."
Gaetz also tweeted Tuesday evening, alleging he and his family "have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name."
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